Cooking heat control plate assembly



Aug. 9, 1949. L s, wlLBUR 2,478,614 L cooxING HEAT CONTROL PLATE ASSEMBLY Filed July 14, 1945 Lawrence Wilbur Patented ug. 9, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COOKING HEAT CONTROL PLATE S'SEMBLY Lawrence IS. Wilbur, .Chic'agm Ill.

Application July 14, 1945, Serial No..`;605,141

l6 Claims.

invention relates to 'a 'novel cooking plate aSSenbly'and more particularly to van adjustable cooking plate assembly adapted for use with the usual conventional stoves, burners, electric plates, and the ylike.

"Zinobject "of thisiinvention is to provide a cookmg plate assembly which can be employed by the housewife in such 'a Vmanner as to enable a finer adjustment of jthe cooking temperature than is possible vwith the -usual adjusting mechanism on 'a stove vor burner.

Yet 'another 4object of this invention is to provide a cooking plate assembly which lends itself to quick dismantling 'for purposes of cleaning 'and which 'at `the same time may be very economically manufactured.

A further V'object 'of the 'invention is to provide a cooking plate assembly which by reason of the adjustments afforded therein enables waterless .cooking of vegetables and other edible food products.

'Yet another object of the invention is to provide a 'multiple -plate assembly wherein plates maybeaddedor'subtracted as desired and wherein uveryne adjustment of the ultimate effective cooking temperature may be effected through the mererelative movement ofthe plates.

'In 'accordance with the general features of this invention, there is provided in a cooking plate assembly V4a'pllurality of superimposed cooking plates, `means for -relativeiy moving them and meansfoperated by the relative lmovement to vary the 'spacing between the lplates and to 'thereby var-y the Yeffective 'cooking temperature of the uppermost plate.

VAnother feature'of the'invention relates to the :forming of one of the 'plates inthe foregoing assembly as a base plate and to so forming the other superimposed plates thereabove that they may tlbe readily interchanged or removed from the assembly as desired.

In yaccordance -with still other features of the invention, the means for effecting adjustment of -the spacing between the plates is provided in the form of stepped shoulders on certain of the plates cooperating with depending projections onthe'undersides of other of the plates, the projections being adapted to ride up or down the stepped shoulders in-accordance with the direction ofthe relative rotation ofthe plates.

'Otherlobjects 'and features of this invention will 'more fully appear from the following detailed "description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a single embodiment thereof, and in Awhich "Figure 1 is a plan View of mynovel lcooking plate ase'mbly;

"Figure 2 is a side elevation of the assembly shown in Figure l and taken on :substantially line looking iin vthe direction indicated-*by the arrows;

"Figure '3 is an `irregular cross-'sectional 'view taken Von 4substantially the line "HI-HI of Tigure 'l looking in the Idirection 'indicated vby the arrows Vand shov'ving the superimposed vplates in direct contact l'with each other; Yand Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view `similar "to Figure 3 but illustrating 'the' plates in spaced relationship by'reason voi the relative rotation of "the plates, and whereby 'heating Yof the `top plate 'may be effected 'by convection.

As shown on the drawings:

*The 'nested cooking plate assembly of vmy invention comprises -a :base -plate l0 having anupstanding skirt -or flange fll in which is telescopingly nested a series of :superimposed plates 93, l4 and 45. 4I'One or more of -these Iupper plates may lbe used with Ythe base plate as -isdesi-red and depending lupon the fineness -of -`the 'ad-just ment in Ytemperature desired.

The base plate -|0 maybe made Jof any suitableme'tal although -`I -Aperfera'bly vcontemplate making it 'of cast liron. The upper `Yplates F3, lil'fand fl'mayalso `bemade of any suitable metal although for 4purposes fofappearance and cleanliness, -I contemplate havingfthem made-of aluminum.

'The base plate ll) -may be made 'of a size to t over the'conventional stove burner andis'fadapted fior use :with leither electric, gas, coal Aor oil l'burners.

' "Theuppersurface of the'base plate ll0 Yis recessed to Aform 'a plurality of indented stepped shoulders l2 andthe upper surfaces of each of theiplatesl, HIrland Hare similarly recessed to provide 'them with `stepped shoulders '|"l, .'I'S and 2|. In order 'to enable a'proper balance of 'fthe superimposed plates, `I provide all of these Arecessed'shouldersin sets of 'four oneach ofthe plates including'the base'plate These stepped shoulders'will `appearin exactly the same spaced relationship onthe upper side of each of the plates'asY is-illustrated'in the case ofthe shoulders 2| 'ofthe topplate I5 as shown in Figurel. Also, as'clearly shown in 'Figure 1, the widest stepof each rvof the shoulder means is the lowermost step and the "narrowest one is 'the uppermost step.

.The superimposed plates 13, Il and l5 nested 1n' 'the'base plate 'filare each provided on its underside with downwardly depending projections corresponding in number to the number of stepped shoulders on the immediately lower plate. While I have selected sets of four shoulders and four projections in the case of each set of plates, it is, of course, clear that this number may be varied as desired as long as a proper balance and support of the superimposed plates is provided for. I have designated the downwardly depending projections on the plates I3, VI4 and I5 by the numerals I6, I8 and 20, respectively.

Furthermore, as is clear from Figures 1 and 2, the skirt or flange II of the base plate I is provided with a series of staggered notches 22, 23 and 24 into which notches indentical handles 25 on the three superimposed upper plates I3, I4 and I project. These handles are provided for relatively moving or rotating the plates with respect to themselves and with respect to the base portion or plate I0.

In Figure 3 I have illustrated the plates I3, I4 and I5 all in substantial contact. When in this position the handles 25 will be vertically aligned as shown in Figure 2.

In Figure 4, I have illustrated all of the plates as being slightly spaced from each other and this is accomplished by relatively rotating the plates through the means of the handles 25 which will no longer be in vertical alignment but will be in different positions in their respective notches or slots 22, 23 and 24 depending upon the degree of movement.

It is also clear that the uppermost plate I 5 may be turned relative to the lowermost plate without disturbing the relationship of the lower plates to each other. Similarly, the middle handle 25 may be moved to move the two upper plates together without moving the lower plate I3 or without separating the two upper plates I4 and I5. It is also clear that by moving the lowermost plate by its handle 25, all three plates I3, I4 and I5 may be rotated as a unit, in which event the lowermost set of projections I6 will ride upwardly on the stepped shoulders I2 spacing the superimposed upper plates from the base plate I0.

In addition it is contemplated that the steps in each of the shoulders I2, I1 and I9 may be varied in accordance with the number of adjustments desired. The upper plate l5 is also provided with stepped shoulders 2I so that it can be interchangeably used with either of the lower plates I3 and I4. In fact, the three plates I3, I4 and I5 are all identical in construction. This is highly desirable since it greatly cheapens the cost of manufacturing the superimposed upper plates.

Many different degrees of adjustment or spacing of the plates is enabled by the foregoing arrangement. Obviously, when the plates are in contact as shown in Figure 3, heat is transferred by conduction, and then by varying'the spacing between the plates, it is possible to vary the amount of heat transmitted by convection and radiation from one plate to the other upwardly to the effective cooking area. In this way, the effective cooking temperature may be Very finely adjusted in accordance with the requirements of the particular housewife. The gradations of adjustment possible by the foregoing arrangement of superimposed plates are almost unlimited. In any event, it is clear that between the ordinary ranges of heat adjustment on a given burner, it is possible through the use of my device to obtain additional and finer adjustment consistent with the requirements of the particular edible being cooked. Through the use of these adjustable plates, it is feasible for the housewife to use this cooking plate assembly as a waterless cooker since the product such as vegetables may be placed in a vessel over the uppermost plate and cooked very slowly without burning.

I purposely make the base plate I0 which is the plate to rest on the burner of a heavier construction than that of the superimposed upper plates I3, I4 and I5, although this is not essential to the use of my invention. In addition, I nd that a satisfactory adjustment can be effected by having each step of the shoulders of such depth as to enable a spacing of about gli of an inch for each one. This again, however, may be varied in accordance with the desires of the particular manufacturer.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a cooking plate assembly a plurality of superimposed cooking plates, means for relatively moving them, means operative by said relative movement to vary the spacing between said plates and to thereby vary the effective cooking temperature of the uppermost plate, at least one of said plates having a marginal flange in which another of said plates is nested, said spacing varying means comprising stepped shoulders on one plate and projection means on the other 'en-V gaging said shoulders, said projection means being arranged to ride upon the steps of said shoulder means upon relative movement of said plates.

2. In a cooking plate assembly a base plate recessed on the upper side thereof to provide a plurality of shoulders and a plurality of superimposed relatively rotatable plates disposed on top of said base plate, the plate immediately on.

top of said base plate having extending from its underside projecting means for cooperation with the stepped shoulders on the base plate and also having on its top side a depression pattern in the form of a plurality of stepped shoulders, the plate immediately thereovrer having on its underside projection means for cooperation with the stepped shoulders on the plate resting on the base plate, said superimposed plates being relatively rotatable to vary the distance separating them from each other and from the base plate so as to vary the amount of heat transmitted to the uppermost plate by radiation and convection.

3. In a cooking plate assembly a base plate recessed on the upper side thereof to provide a plurality of shoulders and a plurality of superimposed relatively rotatable platesl disposed on top of said base plate, the plate immediately on top of said base plate having extending from its underside projecting means for cooperation with the stepped shoulders on the base plate and also having on its top side a depression pattern in the;

form of a plurality of stepped shoulders, the plate immediately thereouer having on its underside projection means for cooperation with the stepped shoulders on the plate resting on they base plate, said superimposed plates being rela-Y tively rotatable to vary the distance separating them from each other and from the base plate soY prising handle means on at least one of the superimposed plates.

4. In a cooking heat control plate assembly, a base plate, an upstanding peripheral flange on said base plate, a plate superimposed upon said base plate and guided for rotational movement by said flange, and cooperating means on said base plate and said superimposed plate for elevating said superimposed plate relative to the base plate upon relative rotation of the plates said means comprising a plurality of depressions in the surface of one of said plates opposing the other plate and having a plurality of graduated shoulders and projections from the opposing surface of said other plate being selectively engageable with said shoulders in the relative rotation oi the plates.

5. In a cooking plate assembly of the character described, a base plate having an upstanding marginal ange, a second plate superimposed upon said base plate within said marginal flange, said flange having a peripheral slot therein, a handle projecting from superimposed plate out wardly through said slot and adapted to be manipulated to rotate the superimposed plate relative to the base plate, and means operative between said plates to vary the spacing between the plates to eiect the cooking temperature condition between the plates responsive to relative rotation of said superimposed plate through the medium of said handle, the ends of the slot defining the limits of relative rotation of said superimposed plate.

6. In combination in a cooking heat control plate assembly, a base plate, said base plate having a peripheral upstanding ilange, a plurality of superimposed plates supported by the base plate within said ange and said superimposed plates being rotatable relative to the base plate and to each other, each of said superimposed plates having an individual handle projecting radially therefrom, said liange having a graduated opening therein through which the handles project, and means between the opposing faces o the several plates operable in the relative rotation of the plates to effect a variable spacing between the plates, said graduated opening having a lower portion limiting movement of the handle of the lowermost of the superimposed plates to a predetermined range of rotary movement of said lowermost plate and having progressively larger graduated portions upwardly from said lowermost portion permitting progressive additional rotary movement of the successive upper plates for varying the spacing between the plates selectively.

LAWRENCE S. WLLBUR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 534,034 Dillenbeck et al. Feb. 12, 1895 549,836 Vannan Nov. 12, 1895 727,251 Allen May 5, 1903 990,102 Brewer Apr. 18, 1911 1,072,097 DeAngelis Sept. 2, 1913 1,140,529 Rice May 25, 1915 1,167,516 Pearce Jan. 11, 1916 1,386,303 Armstrong Aug. 2, 1921 1,786,562 Endorf Dec. 30, 1930 1,989,284 McLeod Jan. 29, 1935 2,010,180 DeFerranti Aug. 6, 1935 2,371,410 Rickenbacker Mar. 13, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 329,856 Germany Dec. 1, 1920 

